Review: In Defense of Quentin Tarantino’s ‘The Hateful Eight’

Quentin Tarantino has had some absolute cinematic masterpieces. I say that confidently. Reservoir Dogs, Inglorious Bastards, and Django Unchained are some of the best movies in modern history. After putting out success after success, Tarantino’s 2015 Hateful Eight was met with mixed reviews.

The Hateful Eight Was a Great “Who Dun It?”

While I think Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood is Tarantino’s weakest film, some people were not fans of the Hateful Eight. Which, I really can’t understand why. I’ve watched Hateful Eight several times throughout the years and even in 2020. Every time I watch it, I am immersed in the violent game of Clue and impressed with the twist revealed in the third act of the film. I feel Tarantino outdid himself in Hateful Eight. Normally, we know not everyone will survive a Tarantino film. But, in the Hateful Eight; literally, no one survived.

What Made the Film Great

The cast was great in the Hateful Eight. Samuel L. Jackson had a unique and interesting relationship with everyone left in the cabin of the movie. The movie had its little quirks – such as the door that needed to be hammered shut. Or the terrible coffee. Every character has a distinct personality and you could feel the disdain most people had for each other. You had former Confederate and Union soldiers under one roof. A fugitive of the law with the supposed hangman in the direct vicinity. It was an uncomfortable and tense pipe bomb that was bound to go off.

(L-R) TIM ROTH and WALTON GOGGINS star in THE HATEFUL EIGHT.
Photo: Andrew Cooper, SMPSP
© 2015 The Weinstein Company. All Rights Reserved.

Rating: 4/5

On top of that, we have unlikely bonds formed – such as the one between Jackson’s Major Marquis Warren and Walton Goggins’ Chris Mannix. The Hateful Eight brought back some of Tarantino’s regulars, while bringing in some new faces as well. While I can admit that the movie was a bit long and could have been trimmed somewhat, I also don’t think that the movie deserves the hate that it gets. As I said before, I think the very movie that was nominated for an Oscar really didn’t deserve it.

I love the Hateful Eight and I’d love to know if there are others out there as well. What did you think of The Hateful Eight?


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